MLB promotes 10 umpires ahead of 2023 season

Following a wave of retirements of veteran umpires, 10 Minor League umps were promoted to the full-time Major League staff on Thursday. Additionally, seven established umps were elevated to crew chief, including the second and third Black crew chiefs.

The largest rookie umpire class since 1999 features four products of MLB Umpire Camps and two men who have served in the United States Air Force. The newly promoted umpires include:

• Erich Bacchus, a 32-year-old Maryland resident who had been a Minor League ump since 2012 and has 234 games of big league experience as a regular-season callup.

• Adam Beck, a 34-year-old Florida resident who had been a Minor League ump since 2013 and has worked 253 big league games.

• Nestor Ceja, a 35-year-old Texas resident who had been a Minor League ump since 2012 and worked 253 big league games.

• Shane Livensparger, a 38-year-old Florida resident who had been in the Minors since 2009 and worked 382 big league games. Livensparger became a Second Lieutenant in the Air National Guard this past December.

• Nick Mahrley, a 40-year-old Florida resident who had umped in the Minors since 2009 and worked 382 big league games. Mahrley has also served in the Air Force.

• Brennan Miller, a 31-year-old Virginia resident who served as a Minor League ump since 2013 and has worked 195 big league games.

• Malachi Moore, a 32-year-old California resident who had been a Minor League ump since 2012 and has worked 156 big league games.

• Edwin Moscoso, a 33-year-old Venezuela resident who had been a Minor League ump since 2014 and worked 333 games in the big leagues.

• Alex Tosi, a 34-year-old Missouri resident who had been a Minor League ump since 2011 and worked 187 big league games.

• Junior Valentine, a 35-year-old Tennessee resident who had been a Minor League ump since 2011 and worked 233 big league games.

Beck, Ceja, Moore and Moscoso are graduates of MLB’s Umpire Camps held at the MLB Youth Academy in Compton, Calif. The camps date back to 2006, with attendees flowing from participation in MLB’s existing network of free one-day Umpire Camps held across the country.

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The new crew chiefs are longtime Major League umpires Lance Barksdale, Dan Bellino, Chris Conroy, James Hoye, Adrian Johnson, Alan Porter and Todd Tichenor.

Johnson and Porter follow in the footsteps of Kerwin Danley, who was MLB’s first Black crew chief (in 2020 and '21), prior to retiring. Moore, who has deep ties to the MLB Urban Youth Academy in Compton, will be wearing No. 44 in honor of Danley.

• Johnson, Porter make umpiring history as crew chiefs

The newly retired umpires who opened the door for the large rookie class are Ted Barrett (26 years of experience), Marty Foster (24), Greg Gibson (24), Tom Hallion (30), Sam Holbrook (22), Jerry Meals (26), Paul Nauert (22), Jim Reynolds (23), Tim Timmons (23) and Bill Welke (23).

That group combined to work 18 different World Series, and Barrett holds the distinction of having been the only umpire to have worked multiple perfect games (David Cone on July 18, 1999, and Matt Cain on June 13, 2012).

“On behalf of Major League Baseball, it is a pleasure to thank these 10 retiring umpires for their professionalism, leadership and contributions to the game," said Michael Hill, MLB's senior VP for on-field operations, in a statement. "We wish them and their families well as they conclude their accomplished careers. I also congratulate our 10 new Major League umpires and our staff’s seven new crew chiefs.”